Post box construction



Feb. 5, 1935. e. s. KN I CKERB O'CKER ET AL 1,990,333

POST BOX CONSTRUCTION I Filed May 2,- 1932 Jflorneys Patented Feb. s, 1935 1 990 333 UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFICE Wayzata, Minn.', assignors of thirty per cent to James G. Bennett, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application May 2, 1932, Serial No.,608,586 8 Claims. (01. 232-40) This invention relates to a mail box, and while wardly about a transverse axis, a door pivotedto the invention is applicable to various types of said box closing the front end thereof and swingmail boxes, it relates particularly to mail boxes able to open position when said box swingsforwhich are used on the rural mail routes. .It is wardly, a signalcarrie'd on saidbox movableto now common for the recipients of mail to have horizontal, and vertical positions, and means on I .5

a box on a support, usually a post,'at one side said door for moving said signal to vertical poof the highway, so that the rural carrier can sition. I I I readily have access thereto. The boxesnow com- 'Ih eand th Objects and adVahtageS 9: 1 monly used are quite long and of considerable invention will be fully set forth in the followin l0 height. These boxes have a door at the front descript made in nnection with the acc0m which opens outwardly. It is quite difficult for 'panying-drawing, in which like referencecharacanyone to remove the 'mail in anyof these boxes ters refer to'similar par s thr u h u ev r l while"in an automobile or vehicle. The 'dcor views and in which:

opens outwardly so that whenthe dooris opened, F g, is a View in Side elevatidh v0i h m .15 it is impossible to reach to the rearoi? the ibOX' b x 3 S pp I j to securethe mail. This makes it necessary in Fig? 2 is a V in frontelevation of the parts p actically all instances to leave the vehicle or. S i i w 1;"

automobile in order to remove the m n. This, a 3.1 a View nsid elevation w n th of course, is an inconvenience, andtheboxes are YbOX, in its tiltedand Op jpQ i O O p s, therefore objectionable.

It is an; object of this invention, therefore, to Call sectiqn; I s I provide a mail box structure which can. conven- F g-.4. aD D v wj h w ne il 3 p", iently be supported upon a post or othersupport D 17 n ra r h I 1 .l v

and which isswingable forwardly when the door Fig.5 is a perspective viewshowing the signal being brokenjaway and others shown in-ve'rti- 20 is opened, so that the mail will slide down to the structure used? a a 25 door andmay be readilyremoved Without the ne- F 6 is a Perspective View similarlto V I Qessity of reaching an arm or hand intothe box. Showing the Signal n different Positiont is a further objectof the invention to Referring to the drawing, a support'10 is shown,

vide, a mail box structure comprising an elond'W e this pp y' a VaYiOHSifOImS,

,30 gated box supported on and extending transin the embodiment Of the invention illustrated it I versely of a post, said box normally being in horiis shown as a vertical post rectangular in cross zontal position and having a doorjclosing its Section, Which pr f ra lyiw ll' 'm d W front. end, said box being swingable upwardly A .bracketll is secured to post 10 and as shown and forwardly about a transverse axis when said in Fig. 4;, this bracket comprises a verticalfstrap to door is opened. like portion extending substantially centrally c i It is more specifically an object ofthe invenalon t e t V t face of D 1 ,fiaid tion to provide a mail box structure comprising bra av a he p t on d e tendi a post, a bracketpivoted' to said post, ,a box cartransversely an rw r y acr ,z hs t p" of rie'd by said bracket, the axis of said pivot exsaid post. Bracket 11 also has arms 'l lb extend- .40 tendingtransverselyof said box belowth e same, ing outwardly from each side thereof onthet'op a door closing the front end of said box and pivof the post adjacent its front edge and having otedjtheretoand guiding means carried by said downwardly depending ends extending ver- 1 door and cooperating with guide means at the tically. Bracket 11' is secured, to post 10 by aplusides of said post so that when said door is rality of screws 11c having their'heads counter- 345 opened, said boxis swung forwardly of said post. I, sunk in said bracket. The lower front endiof,

It is still further an object of the invention to bracket 11 is provided with an eyelet or lug 11d provide such a structure asset forth in the prewhich is embraced by spaced lugs 12o, on'another V ceding paragraph, said' door having a flange bracket 12 in the shape of a strip or bar,the same thereabout and means on said door comprising 'being'bent at right angles intermediate its ends bars with ar'cuate slots therethrough, the guidand adapted to extend across the top of bracket v ing means 'on said post comprising pins project- 1 1'1 with its upper portion or arm 12b'in horizoning through Saidslotsital position. A headed pivot 13ee'xtends through It is also an object of the inventionto provide lugs 12a and 11d and bracket 12, is thuspivoted a mail box structure comprisinga post, an elonto bracket 11. An elongatedbox' l4having a-flat I gated box mounted thereon and swingable for-l bottom, vertical sides and a semi-cylindrical;top,;,5 1

as well as a vertical rear end, is secured to portion 7 12b of bracket 12 by suitable rivets 14a so that said box when in normal position extends horizontally across the top of post 10 with its front end substantially flush with the front of said post. The box 14 is provided with a door 15 hav ing spaced ears or lugs 15a at its lower edge received betweeni'siiriilar,lugs'14li at the front edge of the box, said lugs 14!) and 15a receiving a suitable pintle 16 so that said door 15 is pivoted to the box'14. Door 15 is adapted to close the front end" of box 14 and said door has a flange l b ,exten recesses or branches 15c. such; as headed and. nutted, bolts, extend through ap'e jturesf-in portions' 110 of bracket 11 and tiir'oughme slots 15d, on the bars 15 The asgone auy in thefshape 'oi a flag, which nalfis pivotedby-a pivot19to 311 small bracket 20 secured to box 14. The door '15 has secured a the f iange 15b thereofna pair of headedscrews or rivets 2'1 havingth'eir heads spaced from said fl go and extending throu h a slot 22a in a slidhandlelorm'emblr 2,2, the latter being curved downwardlyla't its outer end. Member .22 has thereon a cam 22b which lis wedgeshapedi at its front endand adapted to engage signal member 18, the latter having a' tapered bend or trough thereof.

Inoperation the box normally occupies thefpo-J shown in Fig, 1 the same atthis timefbeii le st'a tie lrflhb zrin i a ej v; f

bracket 12 extends hor'iiontally'in engagement with portion 111;; of bracket 11', Thej-door 15 at thistime is 'o1o sed; 1 a nd ,the members l'lare' at oneg-endofglots 15d. Wh en it is desired'to have access to the mail box, theoperator pulls out- I wardly on the handle member 22 and door 15 f 1 swings about its pivot 16 and asthe doorswings open, the bars 1 5e move relatively to th fixed members 1'7 so' thatthe bracket 12-and the box 1$ swing about pivot member 13, When the parts are-in the position shown 111mg. 3, membersl'l nioveintothe recesses 15e of the slots I 15d so that the box will remain in the position shown in Fig. j

afsupporting post,1a bracket pivoted tosaid post @Qheihg at this timeiengaging the sides oi the, recesses 15c. It -.willbe seenth a'tltheine; sidebr the door is ow substantially flush v with the bottom of thebox 1t and the parts'are ,at such -an ,angle that any mail m'atteh in'the bgii willjslide by gravity down onto the door 1 5. Such ,matter will be retainedb'y .thefian'ge 15b jabslt i s me lien} r a be ined b th operator without the necessity of reaching far intog'the box. Whn the box is to be movedto r al lb lqn the operator merely moves the w v ember, 2 2iupwardly and the bars. 150 again 'rnove relatively tomember 1'7 and the parts The signal is isused-to indicate to thor ipwardfupon member 22 and cam 22bwilll engage swing the same'up to verticalp'o-p' sitioh as "shown in 'Fig"; 5. If it is desired to have box l lhas asignal.18 mounted thereon,

ta ed. Po formed ih lo e portion; 1 guidelbar's secured to the, sides of said door, g iqo r t when saiddoor is in op en positionfand a hgidle ,againmove to the position shown in Fig. 1 with the, door 150105861. V Y

box and to readilysecureth'e mail therein. The

box, of course, can bevibrated somewhat if any mail should incline to stick and not slide down readily. Itis also quite easy to place mail in the box: The box is very easily opened and closed and this requires very little efforton the part of the operator. "1 The parts .of the device are simple and rugged and'comparatively few in number. The structures an thereforev be easily made and made at comparatively little expense; The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and un to. er t! succe ul and ficient- It will, oi coursaj be und 'rstood th t'vairious ran mn ga sl psrt n Qith a t W? 9s dep rt i m s op p qa n i en nv n i n fl he Pa ts, an b ha i 19 t iilqi 1. A mail boxstructure having in combination,

'asubportini; post, an elongated boxgswin'gably mounted onfsaidpost abouts horizontalaxisextending transversely-of said boioa door for closi ing'the front of s'aidbox' and pivoted tosaid box,

grasped to said door andboxg K 1 m 2. 'A, mail box structure' ha "gin,

oombniaa member pivoted tolsaid 'supa box carried by said member normally disposed in horizontal position,,a 7, door .for closing ui front-end of said box and pivotedther'et'o u d b is p o. a o aw 5 slots "therethrough, members projecting from the sides of said support and disposedin said slots fi ifguiding said door as the same isopened, said door; being constructed ondrarransed 'to be opened and to swing said boxlforwardly into in- 0 cline'd position with its rear end elevated.

3. A mail box structure having in combination,

below the top thereof and about a horizontal axis an elongated box carriedby said bracket extend-' ing transversely of said axis, a'door pivoted at its lower edge to the frontl'ofsai'd box adjacentthe front or the bottom or said box andladaptedato V, close the front end of said boxwhen said :box is in normal horizontal position, 7 members carried I by said door having arcuate"slotstherein, means p omoting from the sidesv of, said postextending through said slots, said slots having at their endsinto which said means are"movable;;'

for swinging said door to open position and-for swinging said box about said axis, said door substantially alining with the bottom of 7 said box when'in' open position and said box swung to in- {2.7 clined' position with its rear end elevated, where- 4a The'structure Set forth in' claims, said door having a; flange thereabo'ut for retaining man is,

sliding thereto, said members projecting from,

said flange.

5. A mail box structure having in combination, a supporting member, a member pivoted to one side of said supporting member about a horizontal aids, a box secured to said member having its longitudinal axis extending transversely of said axis, a door for closing the front of said box extending substantially vertically when in closed position and hinged at its lower end to said box at the bottom thereof, said box and member being swingable forwardly about said horizontal axis to inclined position to elevate the rear end of said box, a member secured to said door, and stationary means engaging said last mentioned member to limit movement of said door and box when said door is swung forwardly to open position and said box is simultaneously swung forwardly to said inclined position, said door moving to open position substantially alined with the bottom of said box.

6. A mail box structure having in combination, a support, an elongated box mounted on said support to swing about a horizontal axis adjacent the front and bottom of said box, said box having its longitudinal axis extending transversely of said horizontal axis and being movable to inclined position with its rear end elevated and swinging forwardly on said support, and a door hinged at its lower end to the front of said box adjacent the bottom thereof adapted to close the forward end of said box when said box is in horizontal position, and swingable to open position with said box when said box swings to inclined position with its rear end elevated so that the plane of said door is substantiallyalined with the plane of th bottom of said box. 1

'7. A mailbox structure. having in combination, a support, a member pivoted to said support about a horizontal axis, a box rigidly carried by said member having an open front end, said axis extending substantially at right angles to the lon gitudinal axis of said box and disposed at the front of said box, said box normally being disposed in a horizontal position but swingable with said member about said horizontal axis to inclined position with its rear end elevated and a door for closing said front end of said box pivoted theretoso as to swing into substantial alinement with the bottom of said box whereby when said box is so inclined the contents will slide down onto said door.

8. A mail box structure having in combination, a support, a member pivoted to one side of said support about a horizontal axis, a box rigidly carried by said member with its longitudinal axis extending transversely of said axis and swing able with said member toward said side to inclined position with its rear end elevated, a door for closing the front end of said box and pivoted on a horizontal axis at its lower edge to the front of the bottom of said box and swingable outwardly, guide means on said support, and means on said door cooperating with said guide means and movable relatively thereto as said door is v said box so that mail will slide out of said box onto said door.j'

GEORGE S. KNICKERBOCKER.

CLYDE B. RAPP. 

